How Does USF keep the TOP talent home?

[postmortem]

"USF has to stop begging the locals to come, get the kids that will get them to the top of the Big East and go from there. Maybe winning will get the local kids to come around, maybe it won't. But the goal is to win, not field a local team.  It was nice to get Ryne and Terrence but that's an exception. Bottom line is if a kid has a legitimate choice between USF and bigger named regional programs, USF doesn't have much of a shot. And I don't blame the kids at all but talking to Anthony Harrell last week and he clearly says he's looking for an SEC offer. Ramik Wilson is doing Gridiron Kings with the hope that he can get a couple more big offers he wants. Frankie Williams wants to play out of the state apparently. Kids just want the best opportunities they can find."

This was one of the more interesting posts to me on that board. I realize the SEC is going to have their choice of kids right now. The last sentence is what got me thinking, what does USF have to do to make us the best opportunity? Why aren't we the best opportunity THIS year? Young team, new coach so its going to be open competition. Just sent 5 into the NFL. We lack the facilities, tradition, and money of SEC schools but a 5 star recruit should want 3 things right? A chance to play early, winning, exposure to the NFL. We have those.

[Mama_Bull]

Postmortem, you had me thinking about that. The kids in the area lack pride in the area. But I do believe thats changing all so slowly. It would have been a lot faster if they would have kept that run going of a couple of years ago. But being in the national spot light with the feel good stories and national rankings. I think it help us this coming year recruiting. All those kids were sophmores when they witness our raises to #2 in the country. If you go to scout.com. USF is on a lot of 5-4 star players lists. I do believe we will get more each year.

Yes, we are clearly on more favorite lists of big time recruits this year. It would certainly help our case greatly, if we could land a couple of them early in the cycle. Had T-REX given us an early verbal last year, that would have made other top players in the area feel more comfortable choosing USF. Many recruits want to be part of a great recruiting class because that validates their choice. There is a lot of peer pressure to go to a bigger name school. Being able to say that "I'm not the only good player choosing USF this year," helps to alleviate that somewhat. 

[Rizman]

Postmortem,  I think you see it through a specific point of view which I agree with but kids are funny.  Dangle a UF vs USF and they see tradition and filled stadium.

However, it gets me thinking what if it was USF vs Louisville for a player?   I think we should come out ahead.  We just need to get one Big East Championship in our pocket and I think we will continue the tide of change.

Look, our soccer team is loaded, they one the Big East and have gone to NCAA tournament.  It is about momentum.  

Do our football athletes stack up against Rutgers and Pitt.  I think so, the question is can our coaches create a system and team work where we can out perform them.  Every team will have that superstar, but can the rest of the team mitigate that player.

Why did our defense last year put the hurting on FSU, but could not do the same on UM or Rutgers.  I think that was a coaching issue for the most part.

[Mama_Bull]

I think using USF Men's soccer to make your point is somewhat off the mark, since we don't have to recruit against UF, UM and FSU in THAT sport.

If we also didn't have to recuit against them in football, we'd be just as sucessful in luring top local players.

As far as our inconsistent play is concerned, some of that no doubt has to do with coaching, but I suspect lack of depth at key positions has  also been an issue, especially as the seasons went along, since more players were injured and worn out.

Shortly before Leavitt was fired, he said it would take at least another couple of years to have the amount of depth across the board he would like. I agreed with that then and still do, because we are still in building rather than just reloading mode.

 

[Rizman]

I think using USF Men's soccer to make your point is somewhat off the mark, since we don't have to recruit against UF, UM and FSU in THAT sport.

If we also didn't have to recuit against them in football, we'd be just as sucessful in luring top local players.

As far as our inconsistent play is concerned, some of that no doubt has to do with coaching, but I suspect lack of depth at key positions has  also been an issue, especially as the seasons went along, since more players were injured and worn out.

Shortly before Leavitt was fired, he said it would take at least another couple of years to have the amount of depth across the board he would like. I agreed with that then and still do, because we are still in building rather than just reloading mode.

That would be a good question for Holtz next year.  The depth issue, and how long to fix it. 

Yeah but the star soccer players want to play for Duke, Clemson, etc

[BullsOnThaRize8]

I think the key to USF becoming a top team is keeping these tampa kids home. We have a HUUUUUUGE advantage with the talent level of football in tampa. Miami has miami kids staying home. We win the big east and "win" the bcs game and you'll see a huge turnaround. Until we become more then just a bowl eligible team or the team that went to #2 when the stars aligned we will get good players but not elite. When we keep guys like arron murray and orson charles and other highly touted local players like giddens signing with the bulls we will have won the city. Make no mistake we neeed to win the city, one way is by winning.

[Mama_Bull]

I think using USF Men's soccer to make your point is somewhat off the mark, since we don't have to recruit against UF, UM and FSU in THAT sport.

If we also didn't have to recuit against them in football, we'd be just as sucessful in luring top local players.

As far as our inconsistent play is concerned, some of that no doubt has to do with coaching, but I suspect lack of depth at key positions has  also been an issue, especially as the seasons went along, since more players were injured and worn out.

Shortly before Leavitt was fired, he said it would take at least another couple of years to have the amount of depth across the board he would like. I agreed with that then and still do, because we are still in building rather than just reloading mode.

That would be a good question for Holtz next year.  The depth issue, and how long to fix it. 

Yeah but the star soccer players want to play for Duke, Clemson, etc

Well, no matter how good USF gets in soccer, there will always be some local star players who want to go out of state to "name" schools but, at least, they don't have the option of going to play for the big three in Florida. That's a huge advantage for USF, in a state loaded with soccer players. Having said that, I just want to give due credit to Kieffer for pulling in many top 10 recruiting classes to where he is just reloading year in and year out. Still, If he had to compete against the name Florida schools, he might never have gotten to that point.

[postmortem]

Riz, I know we aren't going to out recruit UF probably ever. But the question is what about usf vs. Mississippi St, UGA, and other lower level second teams. We have a better chance of success than them. If you win you get exposure. It says a lot of these kids are sitting around waiting for an sec offer.

[dabull80]

Riz, I know we aren't going to out recruit UF probably ever. But the question is what about usf vs. Mississippi St, UGA, and other lower level second teams. We have a better chance of success than them. If you win you get exposure. It says a lot of these kids are sitting around waiting for an sec offer.

Slow up there postmortem - UF has not always been the power house they are right now.  As a matter of fact they were average at best for many years.  FSU & Miami had great recruiting classes during the 80s and 90s and blew UF away.  As a matter of fact UF stopped playing the "U" because they were getting beat so often.  soooo  just saying never is a long time.

[Bull^Shark]

Not like this..

http://bigcountypreps.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=6033.50

Whoever that is posting on there just needs to stop. Another person with a big head who is actually a douche embarrassing the whole fan base. More local players than anyone knows are on the board reading that and this doucher is turning them all of of USF. Good work slick. Most of the guys getting annoyed with you are their coaches. So keep calling Frankie and Ruben "leftovers" and maybe Josh, Andre, Alex and Matt won't want to play for USF's fans either.